Within the filtration industry, and with particular regard to the filtration of sewage in a sewerage treatment works, there are problems associated with the filtration of solid matter and/or particles through screen meshes and the like. In the particular case of a sewerage treatment works, the presence of mashed toilet paper as the solid matter and/or particles in the already primary treated sewage causes problems with fine mesh screens. This is because the mashed toilet paper is cellulose which tends to be entrapped by the fine mesh screen and thereby builds up to be an obstruction to the efficient passing of the primary treated sewage, which at this stage of the treatment is relatively clean water with a certain amount of impurities dissolved therein. As the cellulose is entrapped the efficiency of the treatment of the filtration process decreases and therefore regular clearing, cleaning and maintenance of the fine mesh screens is required.
Therefore it would be advantageous to provide a filtration apparatus in which a fluid, preferably water, passes through a fine mesh screen entrapping solid matter or particles which is/are cleared from the fine mesh screen while the apparatus is being used. Such an apparatus would improve the efficiency of the filtration process as less regular clearing, cleaning and maintenance would be required.
Although the foregoing and following description refers primarily to filtration apparatus for sewerage or water treatment works, it will be readily appreciated that the filtration apparatus of the present invention would be suitable for the filtration of other liquids as well as gases as the filtration apparatus is suitable for filtering solid matter and/or particles which are present in a variety of fluids.